Depth helps Hampden win Pendale girls race Sheehan leads Caribou to boys team crown

HERMON – With only a week remaining until championship season gets under way in high school cross country, area teams are going through their final tuneups for the big meets.

The Hampden Academy girls and Caribou boys showed that their teams may be on the championship pace en route to victories in the Pendale Invitational Friday.

“We just wanted to have a good, hard run today and have everyone feel good about it,” said Hampden Academy coach Dick Balentine after his Broncos were victorious in the five-team girls field, by a 52-58 margin over Old Town.

John Bapst of Bangor finished third with 61 points, followed by Caribou with 77 and Bangor with 96.

Sam Sheehan’s first-place finish led the Vikings to the boys team title. Caribou tucked three runners in the top 10 and five in the top 13, winning with 42 points. Orono and John Bapst finished tied for second with 87, but the Red Riots were awarded second via the finish of sixth runner Alec Rose in 39th, one place ahead of Bapst’s Zach Glover.

Rounding out the six-team field were Hampden (95), Bangor (132) and Hermon (195).

In the girls meet, the Broncos used their pack power to overcome the Indians. The Broncos put all five of their scorers in the top 20, which is a key to success in cross country.

“We’re learning to work together as a team. I feel that we really work well together,” said Fiona McMahon, who was Hampden’s fifth runner in 23 minutes, 4 seconds.

“Ever since [the] Belfast [Invitational] we’ve just been gaining confidence,” said Molly Peverada, who finished second overall in 20:09.

Hampden’s other scorers were Amanda Gervasi in seventh (21:11), Meg Hauger in 11th (22:30) and Lacey Littlefield in 14th (22:49).

Balentine noted that the Broncos will see the likes of Old Town again in the PVC Championship next weekend.

“We’re really looking toward the PVC, so today was the first stepping stone,” the coach said. “We’ve been progressing nicely, our fourth and fifth runners have been moving up, and we’re getting solid runs from our first two or three runners, so things are starting to come around.”

John Bapst senior Madeline Glover was the overall winner. She completed the 5-kilometer course in 19:48. Rounding out the top five individuals were Bangor’s Jolene Belanger in third (20:19), Old Town’s Hilary Maxim (20:53) and Janelle Gagnon of Caribou (21:01).

In the boys meet, Caribou took another step toward its goal of being successful in the championship meets.

“We want to win PVC’s and Eastern [Maine’s]. That’s our goal,” said top runner Sheehan, who finished in 17:07.

Backing him up were Ricky Michaud and Drew Freme, who battled to record top-10 finishes (places seventh and ninth, respectively) to seal the win early for the Vikes. Michaud finished in 18:19 and Freme in 18:29.

Caribou coach Roy Alden credited his team’s hard work for their success.

“We trained quite hard this week, we’ve obviously been working pretty hard,” he said.

Alden also noted that all seven runners have to run well for his team to succeed.

“Drew Freme and Bryan Lamoreau and Ricky Michaud, they all stepped it up a little bit,” he said. “If we can get seven guys stepping it up all at the same time, that’ll be the key to being successful in the next few races.”

Caribou traditionally has had a strong junior varsity team as well, which can give some of the varsity kids a run for their money.

“It does help when they’re more competitive in the meets and in practice, and they all work together so that’s part of it,” Alden said.

Rounding out the top five individually were Ryan Lena from John Bapst (second, 17:32), Old Town’s Seth Tilotson (17:56), JB’s Andrew Willey (18:05) and Brandon Paul of Orono (18:08).